Tag Archives: Start-up

I am a big fan of Jason Fried of 37Signals. I think what they have accomplished is not only amazing but sets a model for others to pursue. Recently Jason wrote a post for Inc. Magazine titled “Walking Away From … Continue reading →

Many of my clients are creating a new product. Some of these clients are brand new companies and others are existing service providers who have recently developed a product. When you are a brand new company no matter what … Continue reading →

Doing business is a series of negotiations. From the moment you plan to start a business to serving your customer, you find yourself negotiating. For most people negotiations brings to mind price, but there are many other areas … Continue reading →

Following the launch of the Plains Angels this week, I have had several people ask me what an Angel Investor is. According to the Angel Capital Association: An angel is a high net-worth individual who invests his or her own … Continue reading →

Many of the clients I advise are in partnerships. It is a common situation. Two or more people get together to solve a problem and the next thing you know a partnership is born. If you listen to the first-time … Continue reading →

I was taught that saying many years ago. You get what you measure for. If you measure only for profit, you may have fewer but profitable sales. If you measure for sales volume, you may not get the profit … Continue reading →

It is truly a disadvantage to be a new business owner. To start with, you are an unknown to most potential customers. You probably do not have a long list of referral accounts or a line of customers out your … Continue reading →

Stand at the base of a set of stairs, 10 to 15 steps will do. Now get ready and leap to the top! That is what many entrepreneurs attempt to do when starting a business. Unfortunately most do not have … Continue reading →

Price gets in the way of doing business. For those who have sold for a living, you could probably each write a book about getting around the price issue. Yet for most businesses this is a self-inflicted wound. Today, the … Continue reading →

Big markets attract a lot of attention. After all, with that many potential customers you can see a path to huge revenues. The challenge is getting heard by that big market. On the flip side, a small market does not … Continue reading →

Price gets in the way of doing business. For those who have sold for a living, you could probably each write a book about getting around the price issue. Yet for most businesses this is a self-inflicted wound. Today, the … Continue reading →

It had to be right, right? When we purchased our house in 2006, it was brand new. We had flown in from Seattle in April and bought the house from the builder then flew back to Seattle to finish … Continue reading →

Growing a business quickly requires that you can bring new employees into your business and bring them up to speed in their tasks. Too often, bringing a new person on requires one of your best employees to take precious time … Continue reading →

I talk to a number of people each month that are struggling with a decision. Who to hire, what price to set, choosing a vendor, picking a development tool. In each case, I try to ask some questions the costs … Continue reading →

Should you pay commissions in a start-up? The simplest answer is yes. There are, of course, many things to keep in mind. Here are a few: Decide early on if you will commission sales to existing customers or just new … Continue reading →